Understanding
by bittie752
Summary: My attempt at showing why Jo has aways felt one upped by her brothers and helping Zane to understand her quiting the mission to Titan. Rated T for Zane's language
1. Chapter 1

**I was really unhappy with how the writers left things at the end of This One Time at Space Camp. So this is my attempt to "fix it". If I owned Eureka there would be another season to wrap things up if not more..**

Two weeks after the announcement of the final Astraeus crew, things weren't going well between Zane and Jo. Zane was angry. After all the time and effort they had spent to get her up to speed and she quits. He had never seen her as a quitter. All that stuff about not needing to compete with her brothers was bullshit.

Walking into Café Diem Zane saw Jo eating breakfast at the counter. She was sitting between Carter and Henry and she smiled at him when he came in. Zane purposely walked past her and sat a seat down from Carter. Jo slumped a little in her seat at the rejection.

"Morning Zane," Carter greeted him. Zane grunted in acknowledgement. "How's the preparation for the Titan trip going?" Carter asked trying to draw Zane into conversation.

"Just finishing up the final tests on the life support systems. Anything new with you?"

"Just waiting on the new DOD liaison that Mansfield is insisting we have…."

The door to the café opened and in walked a tall, well built man in his mid thirties, obviously military based in the way he was standing. He had olive skin, dark hair and warm brown eyes, which scanned the room and landed on Jo.

"Josie" he exclaimed a bright smile on his face.

Then the oddest thing that had ever happened in Eureka occurred. Josefina Lupo squealed loudly like a teenage girl. She leapt from her stool and actually jumped into the mystery man's arms. She kissed his cheek and then pulled him into a headlock.

"Oh my God, look at you." She laughed letting him go and punching him in the arm. "You are supposed to be overseas, when did you get back?" Jo was beaming.

Rage was now coursing through Zane's veins. Who. The. Hell. Was this guy and why the hell was Lupo throwing herself at him.

Carter felt Zane tense next to him, he knew this wasn't going to be pretty. This was probably the new DOD liaison and Carter was pretty sure he knew exactly who this was in relation to Jo. Standing Jack put himself directly in the middle of the impending Lupo/Donovan explosion.

"Hey Jo, who's are guest?" Jack asked slowly, trying to hide Zane's reaction behind him.

Jo looped and arm around the man's waist and turned to Carter. Walking toward the group she blushed "Sorry this is Nicky." Her eyes flicked to Zane and he pointedly looked away.

"Nicky, I would like you to meet Sheriff Jack Carter, Dr. Henry Deacon and Zane Donovan." Henry had risen to shake the man's hand and Zane had slunk backwards a little.

Nicky extended his hand to Jack and Henry and nodded to Zane "Sheriff, Dr Deacon, Mr. Donovan pleasure to meet you. I'm Major Nicolas Lupo, but please call me Nick."

Jack and Henry shook hands with Nick "Call me Henry please." Henry asked.

Zane leaned forward and shook hands, "Just Zane"

Lupo, Zane pondered his rage dissipating slightly, at least this wasn't some ex-lover.

"Josie here is my baby sister."

"Watch it Nicky I can still kick your ass." Jo said rolling her eyes.

"In your dreams Josefina Ballerina." Nick retorted mockingly.

"So what brings you to Eureka, Nick" Henry asked.

"Well that is kind of a long story, but the summarized version is the DOD needed a new liaison with all the Titan stuff happening so Mansfield called me and offered me the job personally."

Jack was flabbergasted, "A personal call from the general that's impressive."

"He is an old army buddy of Dad's and I do have a pretty impressive record. Green Beret, two purple hearts, a bronze star, Distinguished Service Cross and a medal of honor, not to shabby right Jo? Not like being a security grunt for a bunch of mad scientists." Nick smirked looking at Jo he seemed to be rubbing each of those accomplishments in her face.

No one else noticed but Jo flinched at her brother's comments. She was smiling on the outside but Zane could tell that Nick's words stung. Zane wasn't sure if he meant it or if it was just sibling ribbing.

"Hey, you were a grunt yourself once Nicky boy." Jo played along.

"And unlike some unnamed members of the family I wasn't handed a cush job as a deputy after getting herself injured. The brothers and I were handling the front lines and you were babysitting"

Wow, what an ass hat Zane thought. Jo was damn good at her job and saved the world from these mad scientists more then once. Hell she saved his ass more then once.

Jo stiffened. "I saved four of my men that day Nicky and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Now I think it's time we headed up to GD."

"I know when I am being kicked out. Sheriff, Henry, Zane pleasure to meet you."

Jo's eyes met Zane's before she turned to leave and he gave her the first real smile he had given her in weeks. Maybe he really didn't know her as well as he thought and maybe he had misunderstood why she quit the Titan mission.


	2. Chapter 2

Once buckled into the Subaru, Jo reached over and smacked Nick hard upside his head.

"What the hell was that about Nicolas?" Jo practically screamed.

"What are you talking about?" Nick looked confused.

"Cush job, baby sitting mad scientists, security grunt? Were you trying to make me look bad or to make yourself look good?"

"I'm sorry Jo, you know when I get nervous that I stick my foot in my mouth."

"Well any more of that and I will put my foot in your ass. Got it Nicky?" she scowled. How dare he belittle what she did, she worked just as hard as any of her brothers.

"I just really want to make a good impression on your friends." Nick looked sheepish, Jo's glared rivaled that of their mom's and made him feel about 5 years old again.

"Then you are off to a bang up start. Look this town is full of big headed, cocky egotistical jackasses, so you should fit right in, but do not degrade what I do again." Jo was seething; all her brothers knew just how to push her buttons. If Nicky was going to live in her town he needed to play by her rules.

Nick slunk into his seat, Josie had really grown up. When she was a kid she would have just taken everything that he had dished out and more. It wasn't that he wasn't proud of her, he was just afraid that she was better then him.

The siblings were silent until they passed the security station outside GD. Nick broke the silence. "So Josie, are you dating that moody guy with the spiked hair?"

"Zane?" she couldn't keep the hitch out of her voice as she said it. "What makes you think that?"

"Just the look in his eyes like he wanted to murder me the second you hugged me." Nick laughed "The guy must have it pretty bad. Does Dad know about him?"

"Zane and I are complicated; right now we aren't even speaking. And Dad does not know about him because there is nothing to know." Complicated, yeah right. How do you explain to your brother that he has really known about Zane for years and that you had loved Zane for years but were now glorified friends with benefits but even that was up in the air because Zane was very angry and maybe rightfully so.

Pulling her car to a stop in her spot, Jo turned to her brother. "Look, I'm glad you're here really I am. But," she sighed. "Please don't belittle what I do ever again." There was steel in her voice as she finished.

"Yes sir." He said saluting her.

"Jackass" she retorted as she opened the door to her car.

"So do you want to hold him while I beat the shit out of him or do you think we should take turns?" Zane asked.

Carter laughed "Oh we should definitely take turns; we won't tire out as fast." His eyes flicked to Allison's office where Allie, Jo, Fargo, Nick and General Mansfield were gathered.

It took every ounce of self control Zane had to not punch Nick out this morning and now standing in the rotunda at GD he wanted nothing more then to storm the directors office and… What defend Jo's honor? Not that she couldn't take care of herself, but he needed someone to be the whipping boy for his rage and Nick Lupo seemed the perfect target.

"Calm down Romeo." Jack said putting his hand on Zane's shoulder. "Only child right?"

Zane nodded and Carter continued. "Do you remember how antagonistic you were to Jo when you got here? Your timeline not mine."

Again Zane nodded where the hell was Carter going with this?

"Jo has three older brothers so multiply how you were times 3 brothers. Get the picture? Little girls who dream of being ballerinas don't become special forces bad asses without a catalyst."

"Catalyst?" Zane scoffed.

"What, I actually do pay attention to you guys and your ubergeek science talk."

"Were you that bad with your sister?" Zane asked.

"My brothers and I were worse with Lexi. Sometimes I wonder why she didn't kill us all in our sleep." Jack sighed "the difference is, we grew out of it."

No wonder Jo was such a hard ass. Zane needed to talk to her, not right now though. He was still too angry to be reasonable with her. He needed to cool off, clear his head.

"Can you tell Jo I need to see her when she gets a minute? I'll be in my lab." Zane stalked off.

"Sure thing," Jack called after him.

Jo had felt the two men in the rotunda staring at her. She knew they were not happy and neither was she. This was not really the Nick she remembered, he hadn't been so mean so cold. Sure he was tough on her but rarely did he say things just to hurt her. What had changed? Was her brother's attitude one of the reasons the enforcer was so cold?

Jo was barely listening to the conversation going on around her until she heard her name.

"Jo can take the Major on a tour of GD and then I'm sure Sheriff Carter would be more then happy to give him a tour of the town." Allison smiled at the group of people around her.

"Excellent," Mansfield replied looking at his watch. "I need to go. Major take care of my town." He nodded to the group and turned to leave.

Just then the building shook violently.

"Explosion section 4, Astreaus life support lab." Allison called checking her computer.

Jo turned her head towards the rotunda she saw Carter but no Zane. Life support he said he was testing life support. Oh God please let him be ok. Not looking back to see if anyone was following her she bolted for the door and the elevator.

Fargo. Allison, Carter and Nick followed her onto the elevator. Lupo whipped out her phone and called someone on her team. "What do we know? "she paused. "Injuries? Got it. Be there in a second."

Turning to everyone on the elevator she rattled off "No serious injuries reported in the hall but the lab doors are shut tight with 5 scientists inside. CO levels in the lab are rising my guys are evacuating section 4 as we speak. It's getting dangerous in there."

"What could be causing the CO levels to rise?" Allison asked. Fargo pulled out his data pad and pulled up the specs on the life support system. Jo peered over his shoulder. Nick looked sick, he'd been there an hour and people were already in danger. What the hell kind of place was this.

"Here," Jo pointed at the pad. "If this relay was damaged then the micro scrubber could convert the carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide in stead of Oxygen."

"Excellent, now what do we do?" Carter asked beaming at Jo.

"Someone needs to manually shut off the main unit and turn the backup on." Fargo replied.

"On it," Carter said quickly "Which buttons do I push?"

Jo shook her head "Not that simple Carter, they have to be shut off and turned on in a specific order and we don't have much time. I got this one."

"Are you nuts? Josie you're going to run into a room filled with carbon monoxide?"

Nick asked looking incredulous.

"This is what it means to baby-sit mad scientists and I'm damn good at it." Jo spit back.

The elevator doors flew open. Lights were dimmed in the hallway debris was everywhere and Jo's team was ushering people to safety. Amongst the crowd Jo saw Zane and her heart skipped. He was alive.

Running to him she grabbed his arm "You ok?"

"I'm fine Jo-jo. I don't know what happened, stepped off the elevator and the hallway exploded. I think I hurt my leg."

"I'm glad you're ok." She squeezed his arm and shouted over her shoulder. "Someone get him to the infirmary. Carter, Nick help me get the door open to the lab and have medics on stand by to evac the people inside."

A medic grabbed Zane and ushered him into the elevator along with several others. Nick and Carter helped Jo pull the door open after she overrode the security using her password. Jo slipped through he door and into the lab. The door slid shut behind her and she quickly made her way to the equipment on the other side of the room. Thank goodness she had studied these specs with Zane so often otherwise she would never be able to do this.

She was already getting light headed but without hesitation she turned the knobs and pushed the buttons in quick succession. The back up whirled to life and Jo knew it was fixed. Pulling out her PDA she punched Carter number and gave the all clear.

Medics rushed the doors and grabbed the 5 people who had been slowly suffocating onto gurneys. Carter crushed Jo into a hug. "Good job, good job".

She pushed away coughing. "All in a days work. I'm going to go to the infirmary, get checked out."

"Right that's why." Carter shook his head at her.

"Shut up." She said as she strode past him out of the lab and to the elevators.

Carter looked to see Allison and Fargo beaming and Nick looking stricken.

"What the hell was that? This is supposed to be an easy assignment. These people, Jo could have died and now you're making jokes." Nick hurled his words at Carter.

"Calm down." Fargo scolded. "This wasn't even that bad, no zombies, or even the threat of having to drop a nuke on someone."

"What kind of place is this?" Nick asked. Sure he had seen crazy scary things in combat but this wasn't combat this was a security detail. Jo had never said anything about risking her life and WTF nukes dropping on people, zombies?

"Welcome to Eureka Major Lupo." Allison laughed.

Carter came and put his arm around Nick's shoulders pulling the younger man toward the elevator. "How much has Jo really told you about this place?"


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own Eureka or it would not have been cancelled and we wouldn't have to wait a year for a new season**

Jo found Zane easily in the infirmary. She smiled when their eyes met. Hurrying over to him she pulled him into a hug. "I'm so glad you are ok. I was so worried when I heard about the explosion." She whispered into his ear.

Zane pulled away "We need to talk."

Jo felt deflated. Nothing good ever came from the words we need to talk. But she nodded. "Can you walk? We can head to my office for privacy."

Zane nodded, stood and took Jo's hand as he headed for the door.

At least he wasn't pushing her way right now Jo thought as they made her way to her office. It had been two weeks since they had any conversations at all. She knew she had to make this right before he left. She couldn't lose him again, never again.

The door to her office slid open and the pair walked down the steps. Turning to him Jo simply said "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for bailing on Titan and I'm sorry that I hurt you."

Zane looked into her eyes "Don't be sorry. I get it now. You always felt like you had something to prove, but you don't, not anymore."

Jo took in a deep breath and steadied herself for what she was about to say. "On my first date with other you, you said something that made me feel stupid, like I would never be able to keep up with you. I always wondered if that was what made you hesitate when I wanted to get serious. Always wondered when the other shoe would drop and you... no when he would see I couldn't keep up. And then you would leave me."

"Jo, he was an idiot"

"Yeah he was sometimes. With you though I have never felt that way, you never made me doubt myself. You make me feel smarter. Like today all the time we spent studying the life support system, you gave me the knowledge and the confidence to save the day. And I'm glad we took the time to become friends" Sighing again she stepped closer to him.

"When I started studying and training for Titan I had a chip on my shoulder. I never felt that I fit in here, brain power wise. Getting on Titan would prove to everyone in this town, to you to him to me that I belonged here that I was good enough."

"In the interview watching the memory of me and my brothers it hit me. I earned Eureka and I would have earned Titan but I didn't need it. I no longer felt the urge to prove myself. Not to anybody, not to him not to you. Titan should be for scientists who can push new boundaries and explore new possibilities. Not for someone who just wants to prove that she could"

Closing her eyes she continued. "I loved him, I really did and we would have been happy, pestering each other, pushing all the right buttons, fighting, almost breaking up and then making up. This feels like I'm betraying that, because I am pretty sure I love you more. So please don't think I was giving up on you when I gave up on Titan. I am so proud of you. You deserve this, you earned it and you can use this opportunity to redefine the laws of physics" She beamed at him. She needed to say these things let him know how she felt and she needed to stop hiding from him and herself.

Zane closed the remaining gap between them and hooked a finger under her chin forcing her eyes up to meet his. He smirked "I am a narcissistic, jackass, idiot and I'm the one who should be sorry"

Jo couldn't believe her ears, he was apologizing?

"After meeting one of your brothers and seeing the way he treats you, I get it. Carter and I decided to take turns kicking his ass for the way he spoke to you this morning. No one has the right to speak to you like that."

"I can take care of myself but I don't remember him being this bad.. before."

"It doesn't matter that you are more then capable of kicking his ass. The point is that you are MY Jo and I want to protect you. Call it primal instincts."

"Primal instincts huh?" she laughed pushing him back towards her desk. "Like, you Tarzan?"

"Yep Me Tarzan, you Jane. Want me to rip off my shirt and beat on my chest?"

Jo smiled "Yes please. But remember this Jane can kill a man with her thumbs."

"And that is so hot!" He sat on the desk and pulled her close.

"The truth is I'm disappointed you won't be with me on Titan. I'll miss you and I'll miss us."

"It's only six months. That's a cakewalk when talking about the 12 to 18 month tours I've done and I'll be here waiting for you when you get back." She paused waiting for his reaction, she was really asking if he wanted her to wait. Did he?

"I'm done playing games and jumping trough hoops Jo."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jo stiffened a little. Maybe he didn't want her.

"It means I love you too and I definitely want us to be happy. As long as I can still pester you and push your buttons."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Breathing a sigh of relief.

Zane pulled her in for a kiss; their mouths melded together both fighting for control. Two weeks had been a long time, much to long for him to have been angry at her but six months would be longer. Jo's hands slipped under his shirt. Thoughts of time apart could wait, Zane didn't want to miss a second of the time they had together.


	4. Chapter 4

Carter was sitting on his desk in the Sheriff's office with Fargo and Nick sitting in front of him.

"Let's tell him about the ice funnels of death next." Carter said looking giddy. Rarely did he get to share his Eureka stories with anyone. And most of them were pretty funny, in retrospect.

Nick laughed "What the hell is wrong with the people in this town."

Jo and Zane walked in hand in hand. "Big egos big budgets and very few filters." Zane supplied. "WE really should write a book."

"Or make a tv show." Carter added "Not that anyone would believe it."

Looking at Fargo, Jo asked smirking "Did you tell him about the time you got stuck in a personal force field and I had to kill you? That ones my favorite."

Fargo adjusted his glasses "Actually I was about to tell your brother and Zane about the shared dreaming incident."

Color drained from Jo's face. "We agreed to never speak of that ever again and if you talk I will tase you."

Fargo chuckled looking pleased that he made her squirm. Zane raised and eyebrow. Shared dreams what was that about.

"Can you guys give me a few minutes with my brother, alone please?" Jo asked looking at Carter and Fargo.

Carter stood and crossed to Jo, "No problem, and don't worry we told him plenty of Zane saves the day stories too. Big bang, second sun, blowing up an atomic bomb to save the town." Carter grinned at her "I do want your family to like him. Oh and I played down the whole felon aspect." whispering the last part to her.

"Thanks, now out. You too Zane." The three men left and Jo could hear Zane ask Carter "I really got to blow up an atomic bomb? Awesome."

"You work with some odd ducks Josie girl."

Jo sat down in the chair Fargo had vacated. "Carter is pretty normal." Leaning forward she continued "lets talk about today."

"Yeah, does this kind of crap happen all the time? I mean today sounds tame in comparison to the stuff Carter and Fargo were saying but I think those may be trumped up."

Jo smiled. "Eureka is the home to many of the brightest people in the world. Here they are allowed to push boundaries in order to further scientific discovery. And sometimes they almost blow up the world in the process. I'm pretty sure Carter didn't trump his stories up too much."

"Why do you stay then? I thought you wanted out of the line of fire?" Nick looked confused. After the accident that ended her military career, he thought Jo had settled into a quiet life in a small classified military town.

"I'm an adrenaline junky, what can I say. This place is home now, I have a good life here, friends, lots of cool technology and my arsenal is totally kick ass."

Nick laughed Jo always had a love of shooting things.

Jo rolled her shoulders preparing for this next part. "I have worked really hard to find my place here and I will not have you and your big ego messing things up for me Nick. This is my town and if you stay you had better show me a little more respect."

Jo glared at her brother daring him to defy her threat

Nick laughed and held his hands up in mock surrender. "You win Josie your town your rules. But I don't think it's big enough for the both of us anyway. And I think I value my sanity a little more then you do." Nick cocked his head left and smirked at her. "I'll be calling the General tonight and begging him to send me back to active duty and out of this death trap town."

"Aww you poor little baby, can't handle a cush babysitting job." She teased back.

"Um, ice funnels of death, really not my thing."

"Wait till one of them decides to steal your DNA to make themselves look like you."

"I really don't want to hear anymore or I think I might have to institutionalize you sis."

"Try it and I will deviate your septum." Jo smiled. "Are you serious about leaving."

Nick's face dropped a little "Yeah, like you said this is your town and I don't want to step on your toes. I really am proud of you Josefina." He moved over to hug her "Are we good?" he asked.

"yep, we're good. Hey I hear Area 51 has an opening. Mansfield could reassign you there."

"Nick laughed again then stopped. "Wait you're serious. Area 51 is real?"

"Oh it's real Nick and you have a lot to learn. Oh and stay far far away from their bowling team."


End file.
